3: Brian Perkins

VP-corporate affairs, Johnson & Johnson

Published on October 09, 2006.

POWER PLAY: Johnson & Johnson has been something of a wallflower at the marketing industry's party until recently. No more, thanks to the corporate marketing team built by Brian Perkins, 52. J&J in May pulled its $400 million-plus network TV budget out of the upfront, saying the annual ritual didn't fit into its business planning cycle. It started talks with networks about including engagement metrics in its TV and other media buys. It added edgy independent Mother to handle newly acquired Rembrandt products and WPP's Ogilvy & Mather to handle its 2008 Summer Olympics marketing. And it had media conglomerate Time Warner pitch in to create its "Having a baby changes everything" campaign with Lowe. J&J's track record with other brands should give competitors pause. Its overhaul of sleepy K-Y as a lifestyle brand has doubled sales twice in four years.

DOWNSIDE: J&J is in many businesses but not exactly dominating any. Second-quarter sales growth of 4.7% lagged many top competitors, and some analysts found top-line performance in consumer products, pharmaceuticals and medical devices somewhat below expectations. J&J does expect growth to pick up to a respectable 7%-8% rate in the second half-but that hasn't happened yet. And by buying Pfizer's OTC business, J&J is picking bigger fights in such categories as oral care and antacids, where it's had a tough time with Procter & Gamble Co. and Colgate-Palmolive Co. J&J faces a hard battle in the fast-growing skincare business from P&G's Olay, Unilever's Dove and L'Oreal.